By GEORGE MORSE
Sports and Outdoors
Los Alamos Daily Post 

Happy Thanksgiving. 

Snow is now beginning to fall in the higher elevations and the beautiful white covering on the mountains is a most welcome sight. When planning a trip it will be increasingly important to keep track of weather and road conditions at and going to your destination. 

Several lakes will begin to freeze over and it will be awhile before the ice is thick enough to allow for ice fishing. Santa Cruz Lake and Monastery Lake do not allow any ice fishing. 

Eagle Nest Lake, Fenton Lake and Lake Maloya are popular ice fishing destinations that typically open by late December and early January. Be sure to call ahead to check on ice conditions. 

Streamflows on the Rio Grande increased over the past week but are above normal. Streamflows Sunday, Nov. 23 were 779 cubic-feet-per-second at Taos Junction Bridge and 784 at Embudo. The streamflow at Cerro near the Colorado border was 583 cubic-feet-per-second. Spawning conditions for wild brown trout should be good. 

The streamflow was increased to 150 cubic-feet-per-second on the Chama River below Abiquiu Dam. Hopefully, this will  help the brown trout. There used to be a good population of wild brown trout here, but low streamflows the past few years has hurt this fishery. This population sustains itself through natural reproduction.  Low streamflow in the fall has led to poor recruitment through natural reproduction for the fall-spawning brown trout. 

Fenton Lake State Park is open. Camping is by reservation only. Fenton Lake was stocked Nov. 18 with 2,412 rainbow trout. There are also wild brown trout and some Rio Grande cutthroat trout. Only two cutthroat trout may be kept as part of a five-trout daily bag limit. Call 575.829.3630 for current conditions. 

The Rio Cebolla flows into and out of Fenton Lake. It was stocked Oct. 15 with 206 rainbow trout. It was stocked Oct. 21 with 2,024 fingerling Rio Grande cutthroat trout. It also has wild brown trout. 

The Seven Springs Brood Pond, also known as the Kid’s Pond, is open to anglers 11 years of age and younger. There are also some wild brown trout. It is north of Fenton Lake. It was stocked on Aug. 20 with 200 rainbow trout that averaged 17.4 inches. It was stocked Oct. 23 with 692 catchable-size rainbow trout. 

The Jemez River streamflow was 24.3 cubic-feet-per-second. This is higher than last week and now  normal. It was stocked Oct. 30 with 999 rainbow trout and has wild brown trout. The East Fork of the Jemez River was stocked Oct. 21 with 6,838 fingerling Rio Grande cutthroat trout. 

The San Antonio River, another Jemez tributary, was stocked Sept. 9 with 687 rainbow trout. Peralta Creek in the Jemez drainage was as stocked Nov. 20 with 501 fingerling Rio Grande cutthroat trout. All streams in the Jemez drainage have wild brown trout.

San Gregorio Lake was stocked Oct. 20 with 10,000 fingerling Rio Grande cutthroat trout. Some good-sized holdover cutthroats have been caught here recently.  

Santa Cruz Lake near Chimayo is managed by the Bureau of Land Management. The state-record rainbow trout was caught here. It was stocked Nov. 21 with 2 581 catchable-size rainbow trout. There are also wild brown trout. Hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday through Monday. Call 505.351.1438 or visit blm.gov/visit/santa-cruz-lake-recreation-area. 

The Bureau also manages the Orilla Verde Recreation Area on the Rio Grande at Pilar. The Rio Grande at Pilar was stocked Nov. 18 with 15,017 fingerling rainbow trout. There are also wild brown trout, northern pike and smallmouth bass. Some Rio Grande cutthroat trout are now being caught thanks to earlier stockings.

From the Colorado border to the Taos Junction Bridge, the limit is two trout per day on the Rio Grande.  Streamflow was 779 cubic-feet-per-second at Taos Junction Bridge. This is higher than last week. The Rio Grande Gorge above Pilar was stocked Aug. 21 with 20,000 Rio Grande cutthroat trout. It was stocked with 15,017 fingerling rainbow trout. 

The Rio Pueblo near Penasco streamflow was 11.8 cubic-feet-per-second. This is a little higher than last week and normal. It was stocked Sept. 22 with 1,202 rainbow trout and has wild brown trout. 

The streamflow on the Red River below Questa was 40.0 cubic-feet-per-second below Questa. This is a little higher than last week. It was stocked Nov. 20 with 701 rainbow trout and has wild brown trout. 

The Red River Hatchery Pond is open. It was stocked Oct. 15 with 650 catchable-size rainbow trout. Fishing is for anglers 11 years old or younger and 65 years old or older.  

Eagle Rock Lake near Questa was stocked Oct. 16 with 650 catchable-size rainbow trout. 

The Shuree Ponds on the Valle Vidal are open. They were stocked Aug. 7 with 500 rainbow trout averaging 15.8 inches. They close Dec. 31 for the season. 

Cabresto Lake is a high-elevation lake accessible by four-wheel drive. It has good fishing for wild brook trout and wild cutthroat trout. It may soon ice over. 

Abiquiu Lake is managed by the Corps of Engineers. The fishing has been fair-to-good for smallmouth bass, walleye, crappie and catfish. Anglers are starting to catch some small largemouth bass. There are some good-sized trout in Abiquiu. Camping by reservation. Call 505.685.4371 for more information.  

The streamflow in the Chama River below Abiquiu Dam was 46.1 cubic-feet-per-second. This is lower than last week. It was stocked Nov. 21 with 1 305 rainbow trout. There are some big, wild brown trout here. Spawning conditions for brown trout are better because of the higher streamflow. The limit here is two-trout-per day. 

The Canjilon Lakes are now accessible and open. They were stocked Oct. 9 with 2,001 small Rio Grande cutthroat trout. Anglers were also catching some brook trout and previously stocked rainbow trout. 

The Trout Lakes near Cebolla are open. Access to these lakes can be difficult when it rains. They were stocked Oct. 9 with 530 rainbow trout. These lakes will soon freeze over and be inaccessible in the winter as will the Canjilon Lakes. 

Heron Lake State Park is open. Fishing for rainbow trout has been fair. Kokanee salmon snagging season begins Nov. 11. El Vado Lake State Park is now open for fishing. El Vado Lake was stocked Nov. 17 with 40,027 fingerling rainbow trout. Kokanee salmon snagging season began Oct. 1. Call 575.588.7470 for more information.  

The streamflow in the Chama River below El Vado Dam was 117 cubic-feet-per-second. It has wild brown trout. It was stocked Oct. 1 with 436 catchable-size rainbow trout and with 5 012 fingerling rainbow trout. The state-record brown trout was caught here. 

The Chama River above El Vado Lake streamflow was 72.3 cubic-feet-per-second at La Puente. This is higher than last week. It was stocked Oct. 1 with 1,070 rainbow trout. It has wild brown trout.  

The streamflow in the Rio Brazos was 18.8 cubic-feet-per-second. This is a little lower than last week. It was stocked Oct. 20 with 582 rainbow trout. It has wild brown trout and brook trout in the headwaters. 

Over at the Four Corners, the fishing has been fair at Navajo Lake State Park. Trolling minnow imitating lures like Rapalas could produce a trophy brown trout. The fishing for northern pike has been fair-to-good. Bass fishing has been fair. Navajo Lake has the best kokanee salmon fishing in the state. Kokanee salmon snagging season began Oct. 1 Camping by reservation only. Boating conditions are good. Call 505.632.2278 for more information. 

The San Juan River below Navajo Dam is the best river in New Mexico and well-known in the angling world. The streamflow was 348 cubic-feet-per-second. This is much lower than last week and normal. It has world-class fly-fishing for big trout. Conditions for wading anglers have improved. 

The first four miles of river below the dam is known as the Quality Water. Angling is strictly Catch-and-Release using artificial flies and lures with a single barbless hook. The Quality Water is stocked with small rainbow trout that grow quickly. It was stocked Sept. 18 with 24,998 fingerling rainbow trout. 

There are also big, wild brown trout. Some of these brown trout would shatter the state record if they could be kept and weighed. The angling for brown trout has picked up. 

The Bait Water below the Quality Water has good fishing, and a five-fish limit may be kept here. There are big brown trout here too. It was stocked Nov. 18 with 2,261 catchable-size rainbow trout. 

Lakes in the Aztec area are now being stocked. Aztec Pond #1 was stocked Nov. 18 with 101 rainbow trout. Tiger Park Pond was stocked Nov. 13 with 1,923 catchable-size rainbow trout. 

Hopewell Lake is a small, high elevation lake between Tierra Amarilla and Tres Piedras. It has stocked rainbow trout and wild brook trout. It was stocked Oct. 10 with 1,205 small Rio Grande cutthroat trout. It was stocked twice two weeks ago with a total of 2,409 catchable-size rainbow trout. This lake will soon freeze over and snow will hinder access to it. 

The Lagunitas Lakes received their second stocking of the year Sept. 2 of 1,500 rainbow trout. They were stocked Oct. 29 with 2,497 fingerling Rio Grande cutthroat trout. They may soon be hard to reach due to snow. 

The Rio de los Pinos north of Tres Piedras near the Colorado border is heavily stocked with rainbow trout. It also has wild brown trout. There are brook trout in the headwaters. It was stocked Aug. 18 with 1,800 rainbow trout. Streamflow’s here may be above normal. Snowfall may soon be a problem here. 

Eagle Nest Lake State Park is good for rainbow trout. This is a big fertile lake that can produce large trout. It was stocked Oct. 16 with 11,002 sub-catchable rainbow trout. There is also northern pike, yellow perch and an occasional kokanee salmon. The state-record kokanee was caught here.  Snagging for kokanee salmon has been fair-to-good. Snagging season for kokanee salmon began Oct. 1. If you catch a pike at Eagle Nest you must kill it. You cannot release it back into the lake. Call 575.377.1594 for more information.  

The Cimarron River at Cimarron Canyon State Park is stocked with rainbow trout. There are also wild brown trout. It was stocked Oct. 7 with 2,420 rainbow trout. The streamflow below Eagle Nest Dam was 2.00 cubic-feet-per-second. The Cimarron River near Cimarron streamflow was 6.96 cubic-feet-per-second.  

The Cimarron Gravel Pit Lakes at Maverick Campground were stocked Oct. 7 with 401 catchable-size rainbow trout.  

Lake Maloya in Sugarite Canyon State Park near Raton. Lake Maloya was stocked Oct. 14 with 5,163 rainbow trout. Lake Alice, a smaller lake at the park, was stocked Oct. 14 with 499 rainbow trout. Call 575.445.1507 for more information. 

Coyote Creek State Park is open and stocked Sept. 9 with 800 rainbow trout. Coyote Creek Pond was stocked with 601 rainbow trout. 

Storrie Lake State Park near Las Vegas was stocked Nov. 18 with 20,022 fingerling rainbow trout. There are also catfish here.  

The Pecos River in Pecos Canyon State Park was stocked Oct. 7 with 3,001 catchable-size rainbow trout. Fishing has been fair for rainbows and wild brown trout. The Pecos River near Villanueva was stocked Nov. 17 with 500 rainbow trout. 

The streamflow in the Pecos River at Pecos was 64.1cubic-feet-per-second. This is a little lower than last week and above normal. 

 Holy Ghost Creek was stocked Sept. 15 with 402 rainbow trout. Willow Creek in the Pecos drainage was stocked Nov. 19 with 383 fingerling Rio Grande cutthroat trout. 

The Cowles Ponds were stocked Aug. 18 with 180 catchable-size rainbow trout and with 21 rainbow trout averaging 15.2 inches. 

Monastery Lake near Pecos is now open. It was stocked Nov. 17 with 249 rainbow trout. 

The drainage canals in the Albuquerque area are now being stocked with catchable-size rainbow trout. The Albuquerque, Albuquerque South, Belen Riverside, Bernalillo and Peralta drains were stocked last week. 

Tingley Beach in Albuquerque is stocked with rainbow trout. It was stocked Nov. 18 with 2,401 rainbow trout. 

Bluewater Lake near Grants has fair fishing for tiger musky and there are some catfish here. They have been catching some nice holdover rainbow trout. It was stocked twice two weeks ago with a total of 5,751 rainbow trout. Call 505.876.2391 for more information.